• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.149-159
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• 2005

Purpose: To determine the extent and rate of prescription drug therapy, especially polypharmacy and the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use in Korean elderly ambulatory patients based on an explicit criterion. Methods: Performed a retrospective study of 65 years or older ambulatory patients visiting a university hospital based clinic from January 2002 to April 2004. Study determined the patterns of drug prescription per Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification and the potentially inappropriate medication usage based on explicit Beers criteria. Results: Of the 4,042 elderly patients the mean number of prescription was $2.2{\pm}2.0$, which was similar between genders and all age groups within the elderly. 10.7% of patients were prescribed with more than 5 medications concurrently. The most frequently prescribed medication was the drugs used for treating nervous system diseases (44.3%), followed by alimentary tract/metabolism disorders (27.6%), cardiovascular disease (10.7%), blood/blood forming disorders (4.3%), respiratory disorders (6.5%), and musculoskeletal diseases (3.2%). A total of 511 elderly (13%) was prescribed with medication that met the criteria for=1 potentially inappropriate drugs for the elderly. This proportion was similar between genders and all age groups within the elderly. Among these 511 elderly patients the mean number of potentially inappropriate drugs prescribed was $5.1{\pm}3.3$ drugs. Potentially inappropriately prescribed drugs included amitriptyline (76 cases), diazepam (69 cases), ketorolac (57 cases), short acting nifedipine (44 cases), triazolam (38 cases), and hydroxyzine (38 cases). Conclusion: Potentially inappropriate drug prescribing in Korean ambulatory elderly patients are common. Education programs and interventions aimed at optimizing the prescribing and dispensing of the most appropriate drugs are needed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.457-465
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• 2008

Development of various medical systems was accomplished through the progress of biotechnological method for therapy of human diseases. Furthermore, drug delivery systems have been investigated to carry the bioactive materials such as drug or gene in the body effectively. The most important thing in this system is to develop biomedical polymers having biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Chitosan, a natural polymer, has been importantly considered as biomedical materials due to its good biocompatibility and various bio-active characteristics. Since the property of chitosan is differently explained according to the crystalline structures of chitin, the study for structural analysis of chitin has to proceed to apply as a biomaterial. From this point of view, this article introduced the analysis of crystalline structural of chitin, general property of chitosan and potential characteristics of low molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (LMWSC) as a biomaterials. Furthermore, chemical modification of LMWSC using various functional groups was also performed to enhance its bioavailability and emphasize their potential as drug delivery carriers (DDS).

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.203-206
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• 2018

Objectives: There is an increasing number of complex diseases that are progressively more difficult to be controlled using the conventional "single compound, single target" approach as demonstrated in our current modern drug development. TCM might be the new cornerstone of treatment alternative when the current treatment option is no longer as effective or that we have exhausted it as an option. Orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group study is one of the most frequently employed formulas to produce optimal herbal combination for treatment of multi-syndromic diseases. This approach could solve the relatively low efficacy single drug therapy usage and chronic adverse effects caused by long terms administration of drugs that has been reported in the field of pharmacology and medicine Methods: The present review was based on the Science Direct database search for those related to the TCM and the development of antihypertensive TCM herbal combination using orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group studies approach. Results: Recent studies have demonstrated that the orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group study approach was most frequently used to formulate TCM herbal combination based on the TCM principles upon the selection of herbs, and the resulting formulated TCM formula exhibited desired outcomes in treating one of global concerned complex multi-syndromic diseases, the hypertension. These promising therapeutic effects were claimed to have been attributed by the holistic signaling mechanism pathways employed by the crude combination of herbs. Conclusion: The present review could serve as a guide and prove the feasibility of TCM principles to be used for future pharmacological drug research development.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.135-143
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• 2015

Objectives: Recently lactic acid formulation was known as the adjuvant therapy on atopic dermatitis(AD) symptoms because of little side effects. In this study, it was studied that Lactobacillus mixed culture appliment was effective on not on AD symptoms. Methods: The case-photos 30-40 times of AD symptoms from case were observed with literatures. The case-photos were acquired with environmental AD dermatitis experience program which is conducted in SUNCHANG RESERCH INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND LONGEVITY from 2014.01 to 2014.08. Experience applicants were limited the oral administration and chemical external administration. Results: Lactobacillus mixed culture appliment was effective because of the mitigation or disappearance of AD primary symptoms like pruritus, erythema, edema, effusion, dry skin, scaly, scab etc. AD symptom degree was dependent on lactobacillus mixed culture appliment times, and classified as Reaction Period (RAP), Reduction Period (RDP), Efection Period (EP), Reproduction Period (RPP) on a single mixed culture appliment time. And AD symptoms which were appeared in RPP were classified as Rebound Period (RBP), Effection Period (EP), Subclinical Period (SCP). Conclusions: Lactobacillus mixed culture appliment is considered to be useful for AD symptoms and is estimated to be effective by different mechanism with oral administration or steroid ointment application. Lactobacillus mixed culture appliment is expected to induce a synergistic effects on AD symptom reliefs with the other oral administration.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-4
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• 2002

The development of Korean Oriental medicine is based upon the accumulation of experience and knowledge gathered over the centuries. The approaches taken are holistic and empirical. There is a need to understand their actions at molecular levels with more rational, objective and scientific studies. Today it appears that Chronic and age-associated diceases may be multifactorial and hence more complex. A different approach may be required. One claimed usage of Korean Oriental medicine is for the treatment and prevention of chronic and age-associated illnesses. Some of the botanical formulas used for this purpose were discovered thousands of years ago and continue to be used today. There are indications that these formulas may indeed be helpful in the treatment or prevention of chronic diseases. This multi-component medicine could not only be very useful meeting the unmet clinical needs but for defining a more synergistic therapy that supports and maintains the bodies natural curative abilities. The potential usefulness of Korean Oriental medicine embodies the belief of maintaining healthy homeostasis of the body through the proper balance of a mixture of chemical at different organs or tissues. This concept is different from western medicine and implies that multiple compounds may act on multiple mechanisms of action to maintain the balance of the complex web of biology. This is very important in view of sciences current direction to integrate fragmented information to develop future medicines. The western and eastern approaches to human health and disease are complementary to each other. The best approach in developing future medicines is to integrate both approaches.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2013

Pachyonychia congenita is a very rare group of an autosomal dominant genodermatosis caused by heterozygous mutations in the keratin genes. The clinical findings affect nail and toenails, soles, and oral mucosa, etc. The main symptoms include nail and toenail dystrophy, hyperkeratosis of hands and feet, follicular hyperkeratosis, oral leukokeratosis. Many therapeutic modalities have been used to treat skin lesion, including surgical and mechanical procedures, chemical agents, medications. Oral lesions but not usually require treatment, if the patient's discomfort occurs, symptomatic therapy is performed. In the patients accompanied by oral and skin lesions, clinician have to observe specific manifestations with dystrophy of the fingernails and toenails, plantar hyperkeratosis, oral leukokeratosis and tissue biopsy is required for diagnosis confirmed.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.1-45
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• 1999

To date many kinds of compounds have been obtained from plants kingdom as antineoplastic and anti-cancerous agents. However, there is no special type of compounds for ncancer therapy. Various types of substances are effective for various types of cancers and tumors: for instance, alkaloids, lignans, terpenes and steroids etc. Curcumol obtained from Curcuma aromatica was tested and noticed to be effective against cancer of the uterine cervix clinically Oridonin isolated from Rabdosia ssp.is now investigated for clinical trials in China. Moreover, camptothecine isolated from Camptotheca acuminata is also antineoplastic alkaloid, but is very toxic. Chemical modification has been tried to decrease its toxicity. This compound is now using as clinical agent. Harringtonin was investigated as an anticancerous drug in China. Taxol, a compound with a taxane ring isolated from the bark of Taxus brevifolia, has been demonstrated to have substantial anticancer activity in patients with solid tumors refractory standard chemotherapy. Supply of this drug has severely limited full exploration of its antineoplastic potential. Some efforts are continued in National Cancer Institute NCI) Washington for surveying various Taxus species for optimal taxol content, improvement in semi-synthesis from baccatin III, improvement in method of extraction, and development of alternative renewable resources. Further, there are many compounds which have been reported as antineoplastic agents. On the other hand, we have screened on higher plants collected in Japan, China, Korea, Southeast Asia and South America for antineoplastic activity, which has been done using Sarcoma 180 ascites in mice, P388 Iymphocytic leukemia in mice, Chinese hamster lung V-79 cells, P388 cells and nasopharynx carcinoma (KB) cells in our laboratory, as primary screening. In this meeting, I will present on antitumor and cytotoxic substances of the higher plants (Rubia cordifolia, Ailanfhus Vilmoriniana, Aster tataricus, Taxus cuspidata var. nana, Cephalotaxus harringtonia var drupacea, etc.) selected from above screening tests.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.241-250
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• 2015

Noninvasive temperature monitoring is feasible with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) based on temperature sensitive MR parameters such as $T_1$ and $T_2$ relaxation times, Proton Resonance Frequency shift (PRFs), diffusion, exchange process, magnetization transfer contrast, chemical exchange saturation transfer, etc. While the temperature monitoring is very useful to guide the thermal treatment such as RF hyperthermia or thermal ablation, the optimization of the MR thermometry method is essential because the range of temperature measurement depends on the choice of the measurement methods. Useful temperature range depends on the purpose of treatment methods, for example, $42^{\circ}C$ to $45^{\circ}C$ for RF hyperthermia and over $50^{\circ}C$ for thermal ablation. In this paper, MR thermometry methods using $T_1$ and $T_2$ relaxation times and PRFs-based MR thermometry are tried on a 3.0 T MRI system and their results are reported and compared. In addition, the scanning protocol and temperature calculation algorithms from $T_1$ and $T_2$ relaxation times and PRFs are optimized for the different temperature ranges for the purpose of RF hyperthermia and/or thermal ablation.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2007

We reviewed the records of 25 patients who were re-operated upon after primary repair of esophageal atresia with or without fistula at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, from January 1997 to March 2007. Types of the esophageal atresia anomalies were Gross type A in 5 patients, C in 18, and E in 2. The indications for re-operation were anastomosis stricture (n = 14), tracheo-bronchial remnant (n = 4), persistent anastomosis leakage (n = 3), recurrent tracheo-esophageal fistula (n = 2) and esophageal web (n = 2). The interval between primary and secondary surgery was from 48 days to 26 years 5 months (mean: 2 years and 4 months). Four patients required a third operation. The interval between the second and third operation was between 1 year 1 month and 3 year 10 month (mean: 2 years 5 months). Mean follow up period after last operation was 35 months (1 years-8 years 6 months). The secondary surgery was end-to-end esophageal anastomosis in 15, esophagoplasty in 5, gastric tube replacement in 5. After secondary operation, 6 patients had anastomosis stricture (4 patients were relieved of the symptoms by balloon dilatation, 2 patients underwent tertiary operation). Five patients had leakage (sealed on conservative management in all). Two patients had recurrent tracheo-esophagel fistula (1 patient received chemical cauterization and 1 patient underwent tertiary operation). Currently, only one patient has feeding problems. There were no mortalities. Secondary esophageal surgery after primary surgery for esophageal atresia was effective and safe, should be positively considered when complications do not respond to nonoperative therapy.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.15.1-15.11
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• 2011

Background: Histone deacetylase (HDAC) 8 is one of its family members catalyzes the removal of acetyl groups from N-terminal lysine residues of histone proteins thereby restricts transcription factors from being expressed. Inhibition of HDAC8 has become an emerging and effective anti-cancer therapy for various cancers. Application computational methodologies may result in identifying the key components that can be used in developing future potent HDAC8 inhibitors. Results: Facilitating the discovery of novel and potential chemical scaffolds as starting points in the future HDAC8 inhibitor design, quantitative structure-activity relationship models were generated with 30 training set compounds using genetic function approximation (GFA) and Bayesian algorithms. Six GFA models were selected based on the significant statistical parameters calculated during model development. A Bayesian model using fingerprints was developed with a receiver operating characteristic curve cross-validation value of 0.902. An external test set of 54 diverse compounds was used in validating the models. Conclusions: Finally two out of six models based on their predictive ability over the test set compounds were selected as final GFA models. The Bayesian model has displayed a high classifying ability with the same test set compounds and the positively and negatively contributing molecular fingerprints were also unveiled by the model. The effectively contributing physicochemical properties and molecular fingerprints from a set of known HDAC8 inhibitors were identified and can be used in designing future HDAC8 inhibitors.